Books of the Week 1/19-1/25
Now for the moment you’ve been anxiously awaiting all week: Books of the Week! Yaay! Let’s cut the shenanigans and get right down to business.
1) Authority – Jeff Vandermeer (For those wanting some moody science fiction)
Authority is Book Two in the Southern Reach Trilogy. Now, for those of you with good memories, you’ll recall my thoughts on Annihilation (Book One) were all over the place. The writing is fantastic and sets one of the most depressive moods I’ve experienced in book form, but I had serious doubts about the story-line–namely, I was gripped by the fear that I would get to the end and none of the original questions raised in book one would be answered.
But, I’m persistent, and The Southern Reach trilogy is being hailed by alot of really smart folks as one of the best series of 2014 so I figured I owed it to myself to atleast complete the series.
Authority picks up right after Annihilation following an entirely new character who, just like in the first book, is sort of unlikable and…weird? I don’t know the best way to describe the character who chooses to refer to himself as ‘Control’.
Authority left me with a lot of the same feelings that Annihilation did. Very depressive as the mood sustained throughout the book is melancholy ladled in thick spoonfuls. Some questions were sort of answered, but more questions were raised than before. Weird questions that didn’t really matter, in my eyes.
Anyways, I stuck it out and gave the story 4 stars based on the writing alone, with the possibility that the series could be fantastic depending on how Vandermeer wraps it up in the third book….which brings us to the next book of the week.
2) Acceptance – Jeff Vandermeer (For those who liked Annihilation and Authority)
This is it, the finale of the Southern Reach Trilogy and the book that I figured from the beginning the whole series would come down too. And?
Well, l hate it when my expectations are met, specifically when I expect the worst. Unfortunately Acceptance offered vague explanations that ultimately make very little sense. The writing is, again, fantastic. Very moody and visceral, so if you’re into atmospheric reads, this could be for you.
But if you’re looking for a story that wraps up with a pretty bow on top, look elsewhere. I’m no stranger to stories like this ending by leaving the reader to fill in somegaps, but I’m sorry, I won’t abide by a story that doesn’t answer the big questions raised in the first chapter of the first book.
I feel strung along, and sort of used. Those aren’t good feelings to come away from a book with, which I think is why the Southern Reach trilogy has such hot/cold reviews. It’s divisive and I think that’s great, I just wish I wasn’t on the negative side of that divide. Bummer, I had high hopes, but, again, if you remember from my Annihilation write-up, I knew this was coming.
3) The Cat Who Walks Through Walls – Robert Heinlein (for those who like witty dialogue, strong female leads, and weird gender relations)
If you’d asked me in the first fifteen chapters I would have told you I love this story! The dialogue is amazing, full of witty snark that I eat up like movie theater popcorn; the story was intriguing; the world was creative and well thought out; and the characters were both strong willed individuals moving through the world with agency. I love these types of stories.
So what’s the problem? Around halfway the book just took the hardest left turn I’ve ever suffered through. I gripped the oh-shit bar for dear life as this thing started swerving like a 14 year old driving for the first time after half a dozen Zima’s.
Hang on, I don’t know where this is going!!!
The story that occurs in the second half of the story has nothing to do with the first half, which was the more intriguing half by far. In fact, at about 3/4 of the way I realized there wasn’t really a plot. There were just characters doing stuff that they claimed to be important but without any proof to support the supposition. Also, the witty dialogue continued throughout.
Which is cool, but here’s the thing about witty dialogue: snarky banter is fun, but it’s not enough to support an entire story. Sorry, it’s just not. This is a lesson I’ve had to learn the hard way so I figured I’d save you some time and just let you know upfront.
It’s a bummer, ’cause I LOVE Heinlein, but you should avoid this. Truly.
My sentiments exactly on the Southern Reach novels. But what can you expect from three (THREE!) novels based on some weird dream he had? Dreams are open-ended and vague, so the story will be, too.
As for Heinlein, lol! I cannot stand Heinlein, but I still like to punish myself every once in a while by reading his stuff. What year is this one? Heinlein’s views and intentions changed so much, the publication year helps to put each novel in perspective.
That’s interesting; I hadn’t known The Southern Reach was born from a dream. Makes a lot of sense in hindsight.
“The Cat…” was 1985, I think? Which is just off the top of my head, though I’m pretty sure it was in the early half of the 80’s. His writing got more peculiar as the years went on, that’s for sure. His early, and short, stuff were great, but things just start getting bonkers in his later years.
I find his views on gender issues really interesting because on the one hand they are very progressive and empowering towards women, but then he’ll come back a few pages later with an incredibly misogynistic perspective. I try and tell myself it’s a function of the time during which he was writing, but it’s jarring.
This is not a new complaint of old science fiction, either. Just got to suck it up, I suppose.
I have not read Heinlein into the ’80s yet, although I’ve got Job: A Comedy of Justice (’84) on dock for this spring. I think his “sexual progressivism” goes as far as its convenient for him to still play the Big Man in Charge. He’s gross. He grosses me out.
But I thought Double Star (56) was okay! And I haven’t read his most famous Moon is a Harsh Mistress (66) yet.
And regarding old science fiction, his views are totally out of sync with his contemporaries. I can agree that a lot of male SF authors were products of their time, and many harbored sexist behaviors that they justified and denied, but none of them get under my skin quite like Heinlein. He is a different animal. His novel Time Enough For Love (73) was the only novel I couldn’t finish last year.
Time Enough For Love plays a big role in The Cat… actually.. Lazarus Long makes numerous cameos.
I agree that he uses sexual progressivism only when it suits him, which in some ways is slightly worse than being outright chauvinistic.
Also, I really liked The Moon is a…up there with Stormship Troopers as one of my favorite Heinlein reads.
Omigod! Not more Lazarus! Noooo!!!!
;-P
Unfortunately, yes. Easily one of my least favorite characters of all time.
I’m totally bummed to hear that the Heinlein book didn’t get your approbation. 🙁
I need a cat video to offset it.
Just for you noelleg44!
http://youtu.be/tntOCGkgt98
Thank you. I ended my evening with a whole bunch of LOLs! 😉 😉
P Its just Noelle..
Noelle, it is! I’m glad I could end your evening with smiles!
‘like a 14 year old driving for the first time after half a dozen Zima’s.’ Nice! I envy the amount of reading you manage, and I really enjoy your reviews.
Thanks, Ted! I’m very lucky to have a lot of free time available for reading.
Hi! Thanks for reminding me about Heinlein. I must read “Stranger In A Strange Land” and “The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress” again!
Love The Moon!